Wood planing machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1` Paten dOot. 9, 1888.

WELCH.

Woon PLANING MACHINE (No Model.)

N. PETERS, PhnkrLiIhogrlphen .Washington D C.

`( No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2; J. P. WELCH.

Woon PLAN-ING MACHINE. No. 390,829. Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

. 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. WELCH.

Woon PLANING MACHINE (No Model.)

No. 390,829. Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

N. PETERS Plmm-Lnhegnpher. washngmn, D, C.

(No Mode-1.)l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. F. WELCH.

WOUD PLANING'MAGHINE. No. 390,829. l Patented Oct, 9, 1888.v

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ilNrTnD STATESy PATENT F FICE@ J AMES F. WELCH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GLEN COVE MACHINE COMPANY, (LIMITED) OF SAME PLACE.

WOOD-PLANING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 390,829, dated October 9, 1888.

Application tiled December 9, 1887. Serial No. 257,396. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES F. WELCH, of Brooklyn, (Green Poinh) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tood-Planing llachines, ofwhich the following is a specicaion.

Modern wood-planing machines have been brought to such a state of perfection in regard to rapid feeding that with machines of the usual construction there can be little or no further advance in that direction, because as the speed of the feed increases beyond a certain point the quality of the work deteriorates. It is therefore very desirable to produce a machine in which the lumber can be fed moderately fast to the cutter, and which will yet deliver a large quantity of the very best work; and the object of my invention is to provide such a machine which, comprising two feedways for lumber, arranged one above the other and each provided with the cutter-heads and appurtenances for performing simultaneously upon two levels similar operations upon two different pieces of lumber, is capable of doing double the amount of work that can be done with the machines now in common use, and of as good quality.

The invention is more particularly, though not exclusively, intended to be embodied in machines for planing comparatively thin stuffsuch, for example, as flooring and ceilingwhere the variations in thickness which must be accommodated by the feed-rolls willbe comparatively slight.

The invention will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a planing-machine embodying my invention. Fig. l* is a detail view illustrating connections whereby the weights are applied for acting upon the movablejournal-boxes of the upper feed-rolls; and Fig. 1** is a similar detailed view of the connections whereby wei ght is applied to the screws which control the upper rollboxes of the lower set of rolls. Fig. 2 is a plan of themachine. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the machine upon the dotted line a x, Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are a vertical section of one of the side cutterheads and head plates, including a portion of the spindle and showing how the cutter-head may be accurately adjusted to height lengthwise of the spindle.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

As here represented, the machine comprises two upper cutter-heads, A A', two pairs of side cutter-heads, B B', and two lower cutterheads, C C', but the cutter-heads for performing any one of the three operations may be omitted, if desired, without departing from my invention-that is to say, the machine may comprise only the upper cutter-heads, A A', or, in addition thereto, the side cutter-heads, B B'; or the machine may have both the lower cutter-heads, C C', and the upper cutter-heads, A A', or the side cutter-heads, B B'. Each of the several cutter-heads has employed in connection with it the several appliances which are employed in ordinary wood-planing machines, and which need no extended description.

lVith the upper cutter-heads, A A', are employed a chip-breaker, a', and a presser-bar, a, on the opposite side of the cutter-head, and the cutter-head boxes a may be adjusted upward and downward along the posts d by screws a3, the screws for the boxes on opposite sides of the machine being geared together by a crossshaft, as is usual.

ln connection with each of the upper cutter-heads, A A', is a bed, E or E', and upon the same levels as the two beds E E', one above another, are the lower and upper feedways, F F', which at the carrying-in end of the machine are prolonged in the form of gratingsf f', as shown in Fig. 3, and which are provided with the usual side guides, G2 G3. The lower and upper side cutter-heads, B B', are secured upon a side cutterspindle, B2, common to both of them, and said cutter-heads work upon head-plates B3 Bt, which are upon the same level as the feedways F F'. Upon each headplate is a chip breaker, b, for operating in connection therewith, and such chip breakers IOO may be supported and moved in a direction H, abovethe upper rolls,G', of thelower set. l

toward the lumberj so as to hold them tightly pressed against the lumber by weights applied through suitable connections, asis shown and described in the patent to Gray & Hutchinson, No. 315,406, granted April 7, 1885. The upper side cutter-head, B', may be adjusted vertically upon its spindle B2, so as to bring it to exact height relative to the feed way F' by means of a set-screw, b', bearing against the end of the spindle, and the lower side cutterhead,B, may be similarly adjusted as to height by means of a setscrew, b2, inserted through the cutter-head and bearing against a collar, b", upon the spindle, as is rcpresentedin Fig 7.

Each of thelower cutter-heads, C C', operates in connection with bars or mouth-pieces C2 C3, upon opposite sides thereof, and over which the lumber passes as it is fed through the two feedways F F', and above each lower cutter-head is atop presser, G, serving to hold the lumber down and prevent its rising .when acted upon by the cutters. Each top presser, C", is adjustable vertically toward and from its cutter-head in a suitable movable crossframe, C5, and the mouth-pieces or bars G2 C and the top presser, C", may be supported and adjusted as described and shown in the patent to Velch, Hutchinson & Gray ,N0. 324,056, dated August l5, 1885. Beyond the outer bar or mouth-piece, C2, for each lower cutter-head, C C', is a deliverytable, C C7, over which the lumber passes. The delivery -table CG for the lower cutterhead, G, may be supported by arms c, which extend downward and are pivoted at c' t-o the frame D of the machine, as shown in Fig. 3, andthe bar or mouthpiece C pertaining to the lower cutter-head, C, may be also supported by the downwardly-extending arms e.

The delivery-table G7, l'or the lower cutter- Vhead C', which is upon the upper level, may be supported, as shown in Figs. l and 3, upon the top of the frame G5, pertaining tothe lower cutter-head C, which is upon the lower level. For feeding lumber through the lower feedway, F, and to be operated upon by the knives of the upper cutter-head, A, the side cutterheads, B, and the lower cutter-head C, I may employ pairs ot' feed-rolls G G', and for similarly feeding lumber through the upper feedway, F', to be operated upon by the knives of the upper cutter-head, A', the side critterheads, B', and the lower cutter-head C', I employ other similar' pairs ot feeding-rolls, HH'. I have here represented three pairs ot' feedrolls, G G', in the lower set, and also three pairs of feed-rolls, H H', in the upper set, and the pairs of rolls in the lower set are separated from each other sufiiciently, so that the lower rolls, H, ofthe upper set are arranged between the upper rolls, G', ot' the lower set. This enables the upper feedwa-y, F', to be arranged at a considerably lower level than it would be if the rolls of the upper set were arranged wi th the full diameter of t-he lowerrolls,

have represented the feed-rolls of both sets as driven from the usual pinion-shaft, l. rI'he two rolls of each pair are geared together by wheels g, and the wheels r/ upon the upper feed-rolls, G', of the lower set each engage with a corresponding wheel,g, upon the lower roll,H, ol' the upper set, which is arranged immediately behind. As the variations in the thickness of lumber to be planed by a machine of this character will ordinarily be but slight, expansiongears for each pair ofl'eed-rolls will seldom be necessary, as is usual in wood -planing machines, but the upper roll, G' or H', ol" each pair is litted to turn in vertically-movable boxes It, while the lower roll, G or H, of cach pair is fitted to turn in stationary boxes l1'. The upper roll-boxes, h, of each pair have a sliding movement or adjustment to a limited extent, and the gear-wheelsgshould havetheir teeth so constructed or ol' such contour that they will drive properly, notwithstanding the vertical adjustment of the upper feed-rolls, G', of the lower set, but expansion-gears of the usual character may be used when necessary.

Upon the pinion-shaft I is a feed-pinion, i', gearing into a wheel, z", which is also in engagement with a larger wheel, i2, upon the lower feed-roll, G, of the pair nearest the cutter-head, and the feed-rolls which are back of that point are arranged to be driven by providing a similar wheel, i, upon each of the lower feed-rolls, G, and gearing the wheels fr'2 with each other by other intermediate wheels or pinions, i.

The boxes 71v ofthe adjustable upper rolls, nl' H', are fitted to slide upon guides on the rollstands H2, and have connected with them vertical adj Listing-screws J J', the former serving to adjust the boxes ofthe upper feed-rolls,G', and the latter to adjust the boxes of the upper feed-rolls, I-I, one foreach pair. It is advantageous to adjust all the upper feed-rolls of both sets simultaneously, andIhave here represented two adjusting-shafts, J2 J3, which are geared together by wheels j, as shown in Figs. l, 5, and G, so that a handle or hand-crank applied to either shaft will serve to turn both of them. The shaft J2 is provided with worms j', which engage with worn1wheels j on the several screws J, and the shaft J is similarly provided with worms or serewsj, which engage with wornrwhcels jon the several screws J'. rIhe worm-and-screw gearing for connecting the two shafts J'-J3 with the screws J J' is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, and, as shown in Fig. 5, the upper ends of the screws J J' are iitted to bearings f, which permit the upward movement of said screws in the bearings, but said screws are provided with collarsj, which prevent the downward movement ofthe screws below a certain limit.

As in other wood-planing machines, the upper rolls, G' H',of both sets are weighted, so as to permit them to rise as the lumber passes under them and to cause them to still exert a ICO IIO

sufficient bite upon the lumber to feed italong by their rotation. The means for weighting the said upper rolls is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and by full lines in Fig. 1*. As before described, the roll-adjusting screws J J are in threaded engagement with the adjustable roll-boxes h of the upper rolls.

As best shown in Figs. 1* and 1**7 the screws J have applied to them swivelsji, which are pivotally connected with beams J", and with the two beams J4 is pivotally connected at the points j a third beam or bar, J5, from which depends a stirrup, J, in which hangs or on which bears the weighted lever J7. As is shown in Fig. 1, the lever JT has applied to it an adjustable weight, j, andis i'ulcrumed at jm. By the beams J and J, connected as best shown in Fig. 1W, the weighted leverJ7 is applied to the screws J, which control the upper roll-boxes of the lower set. The swivelsj, which are applied to the lower ends of the adjusting-screws J', are pivotally connected with two beams, JS, and with the two beams J is pivotally connected at the points j a third beam or bar, J, from which depends a stirrup, J, in which hangs the weighted lever Ju. By the beams JH J, constructed as shown in Fig. 1*, the weighted lever Ju is applied to screws J', which control the upper roll-boxes of the upper set of rolls.

As shown in Fig. l, the lever J has applied to it an adjustable weight, j, and is fulcrumed atjl". It will be under ,'tood that the swivels jij, which are applied to the screws J J of the middle pair, are respectively connected, the first, jl, with both bealns or bars J" of that pair, and the second,j", with both beams or bars J8 of the second pair. By this system of connections the upper rolls oi' all the pairs of both sets are properly weighted, and at the same time freedom is afforded for the upper roll of any one pair to lift independently of the upper rolls of the other pairs of that set.

According to the above-described gearing for driving the feed-rolls, it will be observed that all the power required to drive all the rolls is transmitted from the shaft I, through the pinion t', wheel '17, and through the lower feed-roll, G, of the first pair, which is adjacent to the eutterheads. 'In order to distribute the power necessary to drive the feed-rolls through the lower rolls, G, of the several pairs comprised in the lower set, I may employ a modified arrangement of gearing. (Shown in Fig. 3 entirely by dotted lines.) The feed-pinion z' and its shaft l may be arranged considerably behind' the position shown by full lines, and said pinion may be geared with two large wheels, t". Concentrie with these large wheels i3 are small pinions i", one engaging with the wheel i2 upon the lower fcedroll, G, of the pair which is nearest the feeding end of the machine, aud the other pinion, i", engaging with the wheels i2 on the lower feedrolls, G, of the second and third pairs from the feeding end of the machine. Either arrangement of feed--gearin g for imparting motion to thewheels 'LL upon the lower feedrolls, G, may be employed, according to which shall prove in practice to be the most desirable.

It will be seen that by my invention l provide, where certain kinds of lumber are to be planed, for doing double the amount of work that can be done upon a machine having but a single set of feed-rolls and but one feedway, and the cost of this machine and also` the power to drive it is far less than the cost of two ordinary planing-machines and the power to drive them. It will be observed that thc adjusting-screws J J are on one side only of the machine, but each pair of upper roll-boxes, h, are connected by rods o with arms o upon a common rock-shaft, o?, and are by such connection caused to rise and fall simultaneously.

Vhat'I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a wood-planing machine,of two cutter-heads supported one above the other and feedways for lumber one above the other at levels corresponding with the levels of the two cutterheads, two sets of feedrolls, one for each of said feedways, and a main framing common to and serving to support all of said parts, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, in a wood planing machine, of two cutterheads supported upon different levels, two feedways for lumber at correspondiugly-different levels, for presenting lumber to said cutter-heads, and two sets of feed-rolls, the lower rolls of the upper set being arranged between the upper rolls of the lower set, substantially as herein described.

The combination, in a wood-planing machine, oit'cutter-heads supported upon different levels, two feedways for lumber at correspondingly-different levels, two sets of feed-rolls, the lower rolls of the upper set being arranged between the upper rolls of the lower set, and gear-wheels, wherebythe rolls of each pair are geared together, and whereby the upper roll of each pair of the lower set is geared with the lower roll of the adjacent pair of the upper set, substantially as herein described.

4. In a wood-planing machine, the combination, with two cutter-heads supported at different levels, and two feedways at correspondingly-different levels, of two side cutterheads at the levels of the feedways, and a side cutter-spindle common to both cutter-heads, and to which they are secured one above another, and two sets of feed-rolls for feeding lumber to the two cutter-heads, substantially as herein described.

5. In a wood-planing machine, the combination, with two cutter-heads operating at different levels and two feedways at correspondingly-diferent levels, of twosets offeedrolls, the upper rolls of the several pairs being mounted in sliding boXes,a-nd gearing whereby the boxes of the upper rolls of all the pairsin both sets may be raised and lowered simultaneously, substantially as herein described.

6. In a wood-planing machine, the combi- IOO nation, with two lower Cutter-heads arranged at; different: levels, and the cutter-head at the lower level being' nl: the delivery end of the machine, and two feedways for lumber at correspondinglydifferent levels, ofupper pressers for both cutberheacls, :L deliveryvmble for the upper run of lumber supported ou thepressel" frame of the lower eutlervheml at the lower level, and two sets of feed-rolls Vfor feeding lumber to the tWocutter-heads simultaneously, zo substantially as herein described.

JAMES F. WELCH.

\Vitnesses:

FREDK. ELiYNES, HENRY J. MCBRIDE. 

